Thursday, 25 February 2016

I am brainwashed

"Is it not the supreme and most insidious exercise of power to prevent people, to whatever degree, from having grievances by shaping their perceptions, cognitions and preferences in such a way that they accept their role in the existing order of things, either because they can see or imagine no alternative to it, or because they see it as natural and unchangeable, or because they value it as divinely ordained or beneficial?"

I joined the military to show that women can do what men can do.

I trained hard, marched far, ran fast and endured all.

I stood up, spoke out and (occasionally) shot back.

They said I was feisty, rebellious, disrespectful and (too) opinionated.

It did nothing to make me acquiesce. It sent fire racing through my veins.

And then they got their women to talk to me, to put me back into my place.

"To show that you're a capable woman, excel within the system."

They are probably right. They are my kind, after all. They would know.